Cartons



l. KERSH ETAL Jan. 21, 1964 CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1962 ll "IO EM WA 0 M 0 .a B M A PU m V R Y B Iibi Jan. 21, 1964 1. KERSH ETAL CARTONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1962 IN VEN TORS IRVING KERSH & DAVID A. KERSH United States Patent C) 3,118,590 CARTQNS Irving Kersh and David A. Kersh, both of 18411 Greenlawn, Detroit, Mich. Filed Oct. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 231,737 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-31) This invention relates to improvements in cardboard or paperboard containers, cartons or the like, and particularly to structurally strong containers which are preferably produced from a single blank.

In general, containers prepared from a single blank have structurally weak corner folds. In order to facilitate folding of the container the corner folds are slit or else cut-away. The corners of the resultant container can be easily pulled apart. To cure this defect the corners are often reinforced, stapled or sealed in position. However, the container cannot then be collapsed to a fiat folded condition, which condition is desirable when shipping them in quantity.

Also for certain applications a container is desired which fills, closes and opens like a tray but which is readily scalable. Products such as foodstuffs require effective protection against moisture and air. Prior containers require involved sealing procedures to insure a leak-proof condition.

ther containers that can be shipped flat, and which have structurally strong corners are made from two or more blanks. These are more expensive to manufacture, involve more time in assemblage and cannot readily be made leak-proof.

Still other products such as machine parts require a strong container. These containers require heavy reinforcement of the corners. Many require a separate top and bottom.

Also containers such as clothes boxes require a strong construction of the corner folds, yet must be light in weight, cheap and be formed preferably from a single blank.

Still another desirable feature of a container is that the blank from which it is formed be substantially rectangular. This allows blanks to be readily stamped from a roll of paper and it eliminates waste paper which would be present with an unsymmetrical blank.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a container or carton formed of a single blank of cardboard, paperboard or the like of very simple and economical construction which will be light, strong and durable and which may be opened and closed a great many times.

Another object is to provide such aforesaid containers which can be easily sealed to provide protection to its contents from moisture, air or leakage.

Another object is to provide such an aforesaid container which can be formed from an essentially rectangular blank.

Another object is to provide corner folds for a container or carton which are hingedly creased so as to provide continuity of the side walls of the top and bottom members thereof and which cannot be easily pulled apart.

Still another object is to provide such corner folds which are eirectively leak-proof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism and a clothes box incorporating the corner fold of this invention and which contains the novel locking mechanism.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a structurally strong shipping carton made from a single blank, having two sets of said corner folds and which can be readily sealed.

According to one important aspect of the invention, corner fold members for a container are provided which are hingedly creased so as to provide continuity of the side, bottom, top, front and back walls of said container. In blank form a corner fold member is defined substantially square by three bend lines and the outer edge of said blank, and is crossed by diagonal bend lines. The outer angle formed by said diagonal bend lines is preferably substantially bisected by a further bend line extending to the outer edge of said blank. This bisecting bend line is very important as it enables the container to be folded with ease. During folding it flexes and aids in the positioning of the sectional parts of the corner fold member. After the corner fold member has been assembled the bisecting bend line no longer functions as a fold line but is flat. The presence of the bisecting fold line eliminates any need to slit or cut away that section of the corner fold member. The resulting corner fold member is structurally strong and cannot be easily pulled apart.

In another important embodiment of this invention a clothes box is provided, having front and back panels in continuous relationship with side, bottom and two top panels by corner fold members as described above. The blank for the clothes box has two parallel pairs of corner fold members disposed around said bottom panel. As noted, the clothes box has two top panels, one overlying the other. In this embodirnent one is substantially longer than the other, the shorter one functioning as a registering means for the longer one. The underlying top panel is provided with a pop-out locking portion having tabs and the overlying top panel is provided with pop-out receiving hole tabs. When the clothes box is assembled the overlying top panel is positioned over the underlying top panel but below the pop-out locking portion. By pushing down the pop-out receiving hole tabs, the top panels are joined through the opening left in the underlying panel by the pop-out locking tabs. They are then locked the pop-out locking tabs are pushed into the pop-out receiving holes. The clothes box is optionally provided with a flexible handle attached to one of the end panels.

In still another embodiment of this invention a shipping carton is provided, having front and back panels in continuous relationship with side, bottom and two top panels by corner fold members as described above. The blank for the shipping carton has two parallel pairs of corner fold members disposed around said bottom panel. As noted, the shipping carton has two top panels, one overlying the other. In this embodiment the two top panels may be of susbtantially the same length, each being substantially larger than half the length of the bottom panel. In one important feature they may be conneced through their contiguous side panels by staples or other adhering means.

In a further embodiment of this invention the aforesaid shipping container may be formed from corrugated paperboard for strength. In a still further embodiment of this invention the shipping container may be formed from cardboard, paperboard, or the like, which is coated on one or both sides with a suitable coating such as a suitable wax, polyethylene, polyethylene and wax combination, vinyl, vinyl and wax combination, or the like, which will render it impervious to moisture and enable the surfaces thereof to be heat-sealed together when assembled to bring opposing surfaces into face to face relation.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a typical blank form from which a clothes box embodying the invention may be formed.

FTGURE 2 is a perspective view of the clothes box embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the clothes box in open condition.

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective view of one corner of the clothes box.

FIGURE 5 is a partial enlarged section on line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lock mechanism of the clothes box embodimeat in open position.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a typical form of blank from which a shipping carton embodying the invention may be formed.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the shipping carton embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 99 of FIGURE 8 and showing a wire staple for retaining the side panels of the shipping carton.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES i to 6 shows a clothes box made from a previously prepared blank 1 and incorporating the novel corner fold as enlarged in FIGURE 4. With reference to FIGURE 1, the blank 1 is shown flat and scored with bend lines to provide a bottom panel 2, top panels 3 and 4, back panel 5, a front panel 6, bottom side panels 7, top side panels 8 and 9, and corner fold members 10 lying opposite the end panel 5 and front panel 6. Top panel 3 is substantially longer than top panel 4. There are two substantially parallel pairs of corner fold members It) disposed around the bottom panel 2.

The corner fold members 1% which comprise a separate and distinct embodiment of this invention, are substantially square and crossed by diagonal bend lines 11 and 12. The outer angle formed by said diagonal bend lines 11 and 12 is substantially bisected by a bisecting bend line 13 extending to the outer edge of said corner fold member 19. With the side panels 7 and 3 turned up at right angles, the corner folds 1t) opposite the end panel 5 may be folded as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 by bending the box about the bend lines 14 and 15. The diagonal bend lines 11 and 12, in cooperation with the bisecting bend line 13, enable the corner fold member 1% to fold back upon itself so that it finally assumes the form shown in FTGURE 5 and in shadow in FIGURE 2. The bisecting bend line 13 is highly instrumental in enabling this corner fold 149 to be achieved. By flexing inward during folding, the bisecting bend line 13 allows the diagonal bend lines 11 and 12 to overlap. Once the fold is achieved the bisecting bend line 13 lies flat and does not form a line of fold. The resultant four ply corner fold it) is of considerable importance as it makes an unusually strong box as it does not cause any of the material to be cut away or slit as has so often been the case in boxes heretofore constructed. By utilizing the bisecting bend line 13 instead of cut-aways or slits, not only is the strength more improved, because of the continuity of the material, but the corner fold 10 can act as a barrier against liquids or free-lowing solid .in those applications where such a property is desired.

The corner fold members 19 opposite the front panel 4 may be likewise folded. Thus with the side panels 7 and 9 turned up at right angles the corner folds 10 may be folded as shown in FIGURE 3 by bending the box about the bend lines 21 and 22.

The top panel 4 underlies, in final assembled form, the top panel 3 and is provided with a pop-out locking portion 16, enlarged in FIGURE 6, which has pop-out locking tabs 17. The top panel 3 is provided with pop-out receiving hole tabs 18 defining, when pushed in, receiving holes w.

The clothes box is optionally provided with a flexible handle made of flexible paper, cloth, plastic or the like and which is afiixed to the backside of the front panel 6 by tape 24, glue, staples or other adhering means.

Upon using the clothes box, an article of clothing or the like is placed on the bottom panel 2. The pop-out portion 16 is pushed out and hingedly rotates ,on bend line 22. The side panels 7, 8 and 9 are turned up at right angles, thereby also turning up the corner fold members 11? at bend lines 25. The top panels 3 and 4 are hingedly rotated upward on bend lines 14, 15, 2'1 and 22, thereby folding the corner fold members 10, with the top panel 3 overlying the top panel 4 but underlying the pop-out portion 16. By placing ones fingers against the pop-out tabs 18 and pressing downward, the pop-out tabs 18 secure the top panels 3 and 4 together through the opening 20 left in the underlying top panel 4 by the pop-out locking portion 16. The clothes box is then locked as in FIGURE 2 by rotating the pop-out locking tabs 17 into the pop-out receiving holes 19.

In another embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FTGURES 7 to 9, a shipping carton is provided, made from a previously prepared blank 31 and incorporating the novel corner folds 10 as enlarged in FIGURE 4 and as described above in relation to the clothes box of FIG- URES l to 6. With reference to FIGURE 7, the blank 31 is shown flat and scored with bend lines to provide a bottom panel 32, top panels 33 and 34, back panel 35, front panel 36, bottom side panels 37, top side panels 38 and 39 and corner fold members 19 lying opposite the end panels 35 and 36. There are two parallel pairs of corner fold members 10 disposed around the bottom panel 32.

The corner fold members 10 are constructed and folded as described above in relation to the clothes box of FTGURES l to 6.

The top panels 33 and 34 are of substantially the same length, each being substantially longer than half the length of the bottom panel 32. The top panel 34 underlies, in final assembled form, the top panel 33.

Upon using the shipping carton, articles of manufacture, foodstuffs or other items to be shipped are placed on the bottom panel 32. The side panels 37, 33 and 39 are turned up at right angles, thereby also turning up the corner fold members 1%) at bend lines 25. The top panels 33 and 34 are hingedly rotated upward on bend lines 44, 45, 51 and 52, thereby folding the corner fold members 1%, with the top panel 33 overlying the top panel 2-4, and causing the top side panels 38 and 39 to register with the bottom side panels 37. The shipping carton is effectively locked, in this example, by staples 4t? fastened through top panels 37 and 38 as shown in FEGURE 8 and enlarged in FIGURE 9.

The blanks 1 and 31 may be formed of any suitable material such as cardboard, paperboard, corrugated paperboard, or the like, of the requisite weight and thickness. With reference to the shipping carton, the blank 31 may advantageously be coated with a suitable thermoplastic heat-sealing compound such as polyethylene or vinyl with or without Wax combination. One or both sides of the blank may be coated. The shipping carton of FIGURES 7 to 9 can then be conveniently sealed by merely heat sealing the bottom side edges of the closed carton and with reference to FIGURE 7, the top edges of top panel 33 and side panels 38. In this manner the carton need not be stapled. A shipping carton is thereby provided which is completely moisture and leak proof.

Advertising material may be applied to any of the surfaces as the panels are, for the most part, planar.

It is to be understood that, where desired, overwraps may be used with containers constructed in accordance with the invention. For instance, it will be understood that, while the shipping carton illustrated in FIGURES 7 to 9 may be conveniently sealed to provide a liquid tight or a liquid impervious carton, nevertheless it may still be desirable to overwrap the carton with any suitable material.

It will be understood that various modifications in the actual details of the blank may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim. For instance, it Will be understood that While the top panels 3 and 4 have been described in certain dimensional relationships, these relationships may be reversed. Thus top panel 4 may be substantially longer in length than top panel 3. Also the handle 23 may be on end panel 5.

Further, by varying the size and dimensional relationships, difierent types of containers can be constructed. Thus by making a small container of a suitable width to length relationship, a cigarette package can be constructed.

It will also be understood that various other modifications obvious to those skilled in the art may be resorted to and the containers herein depicted are to be considered as merely illustrative of the preferred form of the invention.

We claim:

In a blank for forming a container, a corner fold member comprising a continuous outer portion of said blank, having an outer edge and being defined substantially square by three bend lines, said square being crossed by diagonal bend lines, said diagonal bend lines forming an outer angle wherein said outer angle is substantially bi sected by a bend line extending to said outer edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,675 Cole June 19, 1917 2,278,359 Nagle Mar. 31, 1942 2,778,559 Boitel Jan. 22, 1957 2,926,782 Andre Mar. 1, 1960 3,058,645 Luterick Oct. 16, 1962 

